


Late Nights

by dangerusliasons



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-29
Updated: 2009-12-29
Packaged: 2017-10-05 10:33:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/40792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dangerusliasons/pseuds/dangerusliasons
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>Late nights in the office, get Hotch thinking....</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Late Nights

Aaron Hotchner is a great profiler. He's been through some of the toughest cases he's ever faced, but saying he's survived them---that's another story. He lost his wife and son to his job. Despite the high cost, he can't stay away. He tried once and it lasted about a day, and that was after Gideon took off.

Hailey didn't understand his need to do the job. He didn't blame her for leaving, for wanting to raise their son in a world without the criminal element and the gruesome imagery the worst of the worst could bring with it. He always brought brings his work home, the cases sticking with him long after they're over. Thinking about all he's done wrong, all he could've done differently---analyzing his demons and those around him, like Gideon.

He wonders, no... he knows what made Gideon crack. He wonders if it will happen to him sometime soon. Every chance he gets he calls Hailey, talks to her briefly then asks to speak with Jack. Somehow, that small connection to the real world has been keeping him sane. He thinks he should have broken long ago, at the beginning of what would become hundreds of cases and victims, all worse than the previous one before, with criminals becoming braver, more focused---more everything. That is what really scares him: they are becoming smarter everyday. More and more, these monsters come out in the daylight, no longer confined to the dark shadows of the night.

He blinks and changes his focus from internal to external and sees a file, their last case, spread out before him. He leans back in his chair and rubs his eyes, blinking a few more times. Crime scene photos are scattered all across his desk and the haunting faces of the victims staring up at him. He's not sure how long he's been staring at them.

The case is over, the unsub caught, case closed. It was easier than some of the others, albeit, but still this one managed to shake the whole team. He couldn't remember anyone sleeping on the plane. Everyone was immersed in their own quiet meditation; no one spoke because there was nothing to say that hadn't been said before.

He sighs heavily and looks over at the clock on his computer screen: 1:00am.

He looks out into the bullpen, Emily is the only one still there. He sees Garcia heading towards the elevators with Morgan. They're smiling, laughing, trying to put the case of the day behind them---trying to get back the happiness that was taken away. It's a coping mechanism and it works for them and he's glad it does. He wishes it could be the same for him, but he knows he's been doing this too long.

Rossi is sitting in his chair, looking just as tired as Hotch feels, not that Rossi would admit such a thing. Hotch knows in a lot of ways Rossi is just like him, and just a bit like Gideon. He knows Jason would've liked him. Rossi thinks outside the box. Everyone in the team has had to learn to think that way, because killers become smarter and don't make as many mistakes as they used to.

He's gotten into too many twisted minds over the years. He wakes in the middle of the night in a cold sweat---always seeing a victim die, knowing that he can't save them all, but each one he saves in reality is a little bit off of his conscience. Sometimes it doesn't do much, but he knows every little bit helps.

He's so preoccupied that he doesn't hear the soft knock on the door. He looks up and sees Emily standing there.

"You should be at home," he scolds.

"I was just finishing up some stuff," she says, with a slight tilt of her head her arms folded across her chest. "I could say the same to you."

He picks up the photos, placing them neatly inside the folder and closing it, before resting his hands on top of it. "I suppose you're right," Hotch replies. He rubs his eyes. "Sometimes I'm here all night," he comments, but doesn't know why he's telling her that.

"You need to get a life, Hotch, outside the office," she tells him. She unfolds her arms and drops them to her side. Then, she smiles before walking out of the office.

He laughs quietly and gets up from his desk, grabbing his briefcase. He walks across the room, turning off the lights, and he closes the door before leaving for his lonely apartment.

One more case closed, one more killer behind bars. Not bad for a few days work, he thinks. And tomorrow, the day after, and the day after---there will be always another one.


End file.
